Aam Aadmi Party is being torn apart as the battle for the control of the party escalated today with Arvind Kejriwal camp launched an attack on Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan...

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Arvind Kejriwal with Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan and Manish Sisodia at a press conference, in New Delhi when the leaders were in harmony in 2014. Express photo by Ravi Kanojia.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is being torn apart as the battle for the control of the party escalated today with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal terming it as an “ugly battle”, while his camp launched an all out attack on senior leaders Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, accusing them of wanting to have a “vice-like grip” on the party.

Breaking his silence for the first time on the issue, Arvind Kejriwal said he was “hurt and pained” by what was going on within the outfit as all this has “betrayed” the trust imposed by the people.

Arvind Kejriwal, who is the party’s national convener, said he refuses to be drawn into this “ugly battle” and will concentrate on Delhi’s governance.

On the other hand, Arvind Kejriwal’s camp launched an all out attack on the Bhushans.

Ashish Khetan, a key member of the AAP’s Delhi unit, accused party patron Shanti Bhushan and his son and daughter — Prashant and Shalini — of wanting to control all the wings of the party.

“Those who are floating the ridiculous one man party theory wanted to make AAP one family party,” Khetan said on twitter.

“Father son daughter trio of Shanti, Prashant & Shalini (sic) wanted to have a vice-like grip on all party wings, from PAC to policy committee to National Executive,” he further said.

Ashutosh, another party leader close to Arvind Kejriwal, said Prashant Bhushan should have raised his issues at the NE meeting and not before the media.

Shanti Bhushan, a founder member, sought to play down the rift, asking both Prashant and Yadav to support Arvind Kejriwal.

“Differences within the party are not good. Prashant and Yogendra(Yadav) should support Arvind (Kejriwal),” he said in a letter to the party’s national executive.

Sharp differences have come to the fore within AAP with allegations that Prashant and Yadav were trying to “remove” Kejriwal from the post of party convener.

AAP has convened a meeting of its national executive tomorrow to decide on all issues, including the latest controversy over differences in the party. Sources said a proposal may be mooted in the NE meet to remove Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav tomorrow.

Sources added that Kejriwal is unlikely to attend the meeting tomorrow.

Sources said Kejriwal will leave for Bengaluru for naturopathy treatment for a period of 10 days, starting March 5.

In the midst of the war of words, Yadav said he along with Prashant have always maintained that Kejriwal should lead the party.

Asked about speculation that they may be shown the door at tomorrow’s meeting, Yadav told PTI, “I and Prashant have always given a standing offer to quit the PAC so that new blood, having representation of gender and region, could be brought in”.

On his part, Prashant denied that he was considering quitting the party.

“I am not considering leaving the party. My role in the party is to try and ensure it follows its founding principles and ideals.”

“If we are removed, it is of no consequence,” he said.

“The moment I feel the party is irretrievably on the path of any other party following the high command culture, not having transparency, I will have no option but to leave the party,” he said.

Meanhwile, attacking Shanti Bhushan, Ashutosh demanded that the party patron should explain the “conspiracy” to replace Kejriwal by Yadav.

“Shanti Bhushanji should also explain what was the conspiracy to replace Arvind with Yogendra ? Did it not tarnish the image of party ? Shanti Bhushanji should explain why did he say Arvind to be replaced with Yogendra during elections and after NE meet. That is indiscipline,” Ashutosh tweeted.

In his letter, Prashant recalled that at last week’s national executive meeting, he had accused the party of running a “one person-centric” campaign revolving around Kejriwal during the Delhi elections contrary to its principles.

Prashant said such campaign was making the party look like other conventional parties and had called for more “swaraj” within the organisation.

“…one person-centric campaign, which was run during Delhi elections, is making our party look more and more like other conventional parties that are also one- person centric.

he only difference being that we still claim that we are wedded to the principles of ‘swaraj’ while they don’t,” he said.

Along with Prashant, Yadav also gave a joint letter to the national executive and demanded activation of an ethics and grievance committee.

Reacting to it, the Delhi unit, a group that swears allegiance to Kejriwal, too has come out strongly against Prashant and Yadav.

In a letter to party secretary Pankaj Gupta, Delhi unit secretary Dilip Pandey termed it not a personality clash but a clash between a leader and a “bunch of opportunists”. Sources close to Yadav have rejected the claims made by the Delhi unit.

This is what happens when there is no real democracy in a political party. These people are proving they are just another party vying for power and money.

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Zafar

Mar 3, 2015 at 10:27 pm

Great
hausla

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A.T.Joseph

Mar 4, 2015 at 8:40 am

In my opinion ,the true democracy should prevail in AAP.It is better to give the chance to the common man and act accordingly because we are stood for swaraj and right to recall .One who is a true leader in my sense,he could have lead not only from the front but from the bottom also.Mr. Aravind,it is far better you concentrate on Delhi to give the common man a good governance than the leadership tug of war .If you step down from the party leadership on the will of others by nuke,no doubt the people will elevate you.

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Abhi Ghosh

Mar 4, 2015 at 2:45 pm

THE PROBLEM OF PLENTY. :- This problem is literally true in the materialistic world. To me, the only problem we are having that we do have so many personalities of immense intellect. But we are selfless and joined to form the party not for any material gain. Our only goal is to establish JAN-LOKPAL & SWARAJ, I personally do believe Yadav ji & Prasnat Bhushan ji will continue with us to fulfill our dream to deliver ALTERNATIVE POLITICS.
Shri Yogendra Yadav & Prasnat Bhushan ji are very much with AAP. We shouldn't have any issue pertaining to "ARVIND-CULT". All revolutions are based upon 'personality cult', starting from hiji and Subhsa Chandra Bose up to Shri Jayaprakash Narayan's Movement against Indira's Emergency.
I challenge all of our critics and the media people that we will all remain united and no GOOD SOUL will depart from us as we are having the strong bond of GOOD-KARMA.

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Satish Chandra

Mar 4, 2015 at 12:29 pm

Press Release March 3, 2015 RSS: ANYTHING SHORT OF NUCLEAR DESTRUCTION OF WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK IS A WASTE OF TIME. ONLY ONE PERSON IN INDIA CAN DO IT, WITH NUCLEAR WARHEADS ALREADY EMPLACED IN WASHINGTON, NEW YORK AND OTHER U.S. CITIES WITH A WARNING ADDITIONAL U.S. CITIES WILL BE DESTRO IF THERE IS ANY RETALIATION OR SIGN OF RETALIATION. HE SHOULD BE INDIA’S RULER. MODI, RAHUL ETC. SHOULD HAVE THEIR HEADS CUT OFF AND THROWN ON A DUNG HEAP. IndiasLegitimateRulerSatishChandraDOTblogspotDOTcom
If India does not have enough nuclear warheads to destroy Washington and New York right now, the following should be destro: nuclear destruction of Harvard University campus; nuclear destruction of MIT campus; nuclear destruction of the criminal tribe of the jews via the nuclear destruction of Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerum with nuclear-armed missiles; nuclear destruction of RAW via the nuclear destruction of RAW headquarters; nuclear destruction of Indian prime ministers’ offices via the nuclear destruction of South Block and North Block.
Satish Chandra

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v sivasankaran

Mar 3, 2015 at 10:29 pm

The affairs of AAP is hurting.It needs to be resolved immediately.The am gana parishad raised like AAP under the leadership of Praffula kumar mahanta.But soon after coming to power it crumbled on its own weight.AAP should learn lesson from them.People gave a mammoth power to AAP.There is no worthwhile opposition for AAP. The idea of AAP should not be carried away by its success.

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Sourabh Singh

Mar 3, 2015 at 10:31 pm

i dont understand it . First of all , one have to lead . Secondly If this is the case then why Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan havent clear there stand earlier . Thirdly in any job you never get what u want . You have to satisfy yourself with what you have . And do work accordingly . And 4thly please wait for some time . Your party is new . Be patient and do work .One day you will get something. Just respect your leader .You have to respect the decision of group of people . You need a ideal and that is not dictatorship.

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Shamrao Vinekar

Mar 3, 2015 at 11:18 pm

Within one month after receiving mive mandate from the voters of Delhi, AAP has started internal fights within their leaders.Then who will govern Delhi and provide free water and electricity and wifi? We are not concerned with the internal differences of AAP leaders. We want free water, free wifi and free electricity with other developmental work to start. and AAP should fulfill their electoral promises.Do not run away once again this time citing differences of views of leaders.This is your only chance to show your mettle.

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subu

Mar 3, 2015 at 10:55 pm

So one person one post is the norm in AAP. If at all ashish is concerned about one family controlling the party, field other candidates. Why it has to be only Arvind. What is the difference between Amma, didi, behenji and Kejriwal. Atleast they do not claim that their's is a party with difference.